Pocono skiers make up for lost winter

After last year's dreary season, Big Boulder draws a crowd

Skiers and snowboarders who dealt with one of the most drab ski seasons in recent memory last winter turned out in droves Wednesday when Big Boulder opened, the first Pocono ski resort to welcome skiers for the 2012-13 season.

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By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

poconorecord.com

By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Posted Nov. 29, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Posted Nov. 29, 2012 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

Last year? Not so good.

This year? It's looking up already.

Skiers and snowboarders who dealt with one of the most drab ski seasons in recent memory last winter turned out in droves Wednesday when Big Boulder opened, the first Pocono ski resort to welcome skiers for the 2012-13 season.

That made it extra special for skiers like Rachael Gilligan, 19, from Pottstown, who made the trip up to take advantage of the first ski day.

She usually buys a season pass from her nearby ski area, Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, but she was hesitant this year. She lived in Los Angeles last year, but heard the horror stories of poor conditions last year.

"I almost didn't," she said. "I wanted to and I did, but I almost didn't."

Gilligan may not have had to deal with the conditions when the region got little snow, lots of rain and mild temperatures, but her friend Liz Bradley, 19, did. That made getting out to Big Boulder extra special Wednesday for her.

"It was awful," she said. "I still skied, but it wasn't the same."

For the eighth year in a row, Big Boulder in Lake Harmony was the first Pennsylvania ski resort to open for the ski season, two weeks before it opened last year.

Unlike last year, when there was no natural snow on the slopes until January, the resort was aided by about 3 inches of snow Tuesday to go along with its snow making.

Brandon Bilwin, 20, of Pittston Township, made the trip to the Lake Harmony ski resort because, after last year, he needed to get on the slopes as soon as he could.

"Everything was terrible last year," he said as he got ready in the parking lot. "Big Boulder was the best, but nothing was good last year. I couldn't wait to get out this year. I'm so pumped right now."

Wednesday was the sixth year Big Boulder ran its "Boulder Gives Back" promotion, in which the mountain collects for Toys for Tots and canned goods for the food pantry at nearby St. Joseph the Fisherman church.

Anyone that brought a toy or canned goods worth at least $15 was given a free lift ticket for the six hours the resort was open.

Resort spokeswoman Heather Schiffbauer said the mountain expected about 1,000 people to take advantage of the offer Wednesday.

Tyler Mengel, 21, of Zionsville, said he and his friends get so desperate for snowboarding they get ice from a nearby ice skating rink and spread it in a backyard in the summer.

They didn't have to do that last winter, but it still was a bummer season.